The wetland habitat at Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge south of Sumner will be expanded and portions of the higher ground will be converted to grasslands this summer.
Swan Lake reports the project will affect 1,890 acres of habitat at Swan Lake and includes restoration of 780 acres between Silver Lake and the Swan Lake Marsh and enhancement of 1,110 acres of existing wetlands.
The refuge notes Ducks Unlimited secured a $1,000,000 grant from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act in 2014, and the project has been bid out to CC Schlueter, Incorporated of Tripplet. Ducks Unlimited engineers have staked out most of the project area, and equipment is being mobilized to the construction site.
The north entrance gate to the refuge will be closed in the late Summer due to the construction with the Silver Lake boat ramp accessible through the east gate. The project is expected to be complete by September 30th.
Swan Lake notes that project partners committed about $2,400,000 in matching funds to the $1,000,000 from the grant. Partner support is one factor the North American Wetlands Conservation Act Council considers when deciding projects to be funded.
